Smart Enclosure - Prefab Inflatable Buildings - The New Method of Sustainable Construction

April 4, 2011 - PRLog -- In this age of increasing concern for the health of the planet it is more important than ever to look at ways of minimizing the long term impact of buildings upon the environment and to investigate new methods of sustainable construction.

A new kind of building technology has emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional building methods. This technology produces structures which are highly efficient in terms of the amount of material used in their construction, require no permanent foundations, can be relocated easily, and can recycled.

The buildings in question are in fact a new generation of inflatable buildings. These are no ordinary inflatables however. They are designed using the latest CAD technology and structural analysis software and are constructed from modern, fire retardant, composite textiles which are cut and joined using techniques developed form aerospace manufacturing. This enables the buildings to operate at higher pressures than conventional inflatable structures producing much stiffer, stronger structures.

It’s important at this point to make a distinction between air-supported buildings and inflatable buildings. A traditional air-supported building is one which is comprised of a single layer membrane attached to the ground around its perimeter. Air is blown under the membrane to lift it off the ground and form the shape of the building.

An inflatable building on the other hand, uses two layers of membrane connected together typically using spars made from the same material. The cavity formed between the layers is pressurized with air producing a rigid structural element which allows large span structures to be achieved.

The structures, pioneered by Smart Enclosure™ in the United States, are extremely weight efficient and are highly portable yet they have the strength of metal-framed portable buildings. Smart Enclosure CEO Christopher Ross-da Silva recently unveiled his company's new product line “Smart Enclosure is the perfect Hybrid Solution that combines the best of both conventional alternatives. We provide prefab inflatable air tight modular frames powered by our Air on Demand System. Our outer cover and structural frame material are both high-strength polyester and vinyl-coated composite fabrics. This effective combination when coated with our finishes provides additional durability, UV protection, and strength. We can now offer our clients the best possible environment with low energy consumption, fresh air and natural light. Owners get to pay less for that privilege.”

So what makes them so environmentally friendly? Well, firstly, the majority of a finished inflatable building is made from fresh air. Analysis of a finished structure shows that the amount of textile used represents only 0.5% of the volume of the structure. Since the textiles are supplied in roll form, the materials required for an entire building can be transported in a single medium-sized van thereby minimizing the effect of transporting raw materials upon the environment. Inflatable buildings are the perfect solution for an emergency response situation there often conventional methods are inadequate for the disaster at hand. Smart Enclosure’s distinctive modular lightweight design allows their structures to be commercially air freighted anywhere in the world in a matter of hours and erected in hours upon arrival.

Thanks to initiatives such as the Texyloop™ service pioneered by Ferrari Textiles, the scrap material produced during the manufacture of inflatable buildings can be collected, recycled and made into new composite textiles.

The inflatable buildings produced by Smart Enclosure have a long life expectancy over 20 years but when they do eventually reach the end of their service they can also be recycled using services such as Texyloop.

Another Environmental benefit of inflatable buildings is that they do not require permanent foundations. Conventional buildings usually require concrete foundations which are permanent and cannot be moved. An inflatable building would typically be anchored using spiral anchors which are literally screwed into the ground. If a building needs to be relocated, the anchors are unscrewed and used again. Smart Enclosure has partnered with Rola-Trac North America and their new Terra-Bolt™ ground anchorage system.  This ground-breaking new system is made of robust composite plastics that make it light and easy to use while remaining incredibly strong enabling Smart Enclosure to anchor their structures in place safely and securely.

Once an inflatable building has been moved, there is no lasting impact upon the site where it used to be.

Another important consideration when assessing the environmental impact of a building is the energy used throughout its life. Because Smart Enclosure structures are of a welded construction (as opposed to stitched), they are virtually air tight. Conventional stitched inflatables require high power electric blowers which run constantly. Smart Enclosure’s Air-on-Demand System consumes a fraction of the energy compared to a conventional temporary pressure system. It maintains the constant internal air pressure automatically by a failsafe control system that continually monitors the internal frame pressure and actuates small electrical blowers when required. These regenerative blowers only operate periodically for a few seconds at a time making the power requirements for our structures extremely low.

The low power requirement for these structures means that it is entirely possible to use solar power to provide the electricity required for their operation. Smart Enclosure is a member of the US Green Building Council and offers low cost renewable energy packages towards LEED Certification which entirely offset their structures carbon footprint.
If the environmental impact of a new building is a major concern, then the benefits of using Smart Enclosure inflatable structures are well worth consideration. For more information visit http://www.SmartEnclosure.com

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Smart Enclosure™ designs and manufactures innovative energy efficient inflatable buildings. The distinct modular design of our buildings gives them unparalleled portability and deployment speed with the comparable strength of a metal framed structure.

The advantages of a Smart Enclosure inflatable structure include low building and operating costs, a simple split second installation and relocation, and an inclement weather protective system.

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